High Meadow Suite
by LileyKigoSpashleyRizzslesLover
Summary: After everything they've been through with Hoyt, Jane and Maura take a well deserved break and discover a few new things about themselves and each other. Continuation of S2E10. Jane/Maura. Now a threeshot!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Wow… that was definitely intense. I hope this helps lessen some of the angst the episode gave us – darn you, Hoyt! I hope you enjoy! Since I want to give this fic what it deserves I will make it a two shot, though it may take some time for the next chapter to come up. With any luck it'll be posted before the end of the week!

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Jane walked into the Robber, fully expecting what she thought was a surprise party. "Okay. Yeah, yeah. Surprise!" She said weakly, alerting her presence. "Hello?"

The lights came on and all she saw was Sam and a dirty bar. She smiled at him, feeling suddenly foolish. "Surprise." She said again, waving at him.

He just smiled and got back to work.

The detective sighed and walked out before getting in her car to go home. Well, this was it. Looks like this was the year they finally listened to her when she said she didn't want anything for her birthday. She was surprised that it felt so disappointing, much like it was every year. Oh well, maybe a pint of Ben & Jerry's will make it all better.

Not too long after leaving the bar she pulled up to her apartment complex. After four flights of stairs she opened the door. One she closed it and turned on the lights she jumped.

"Surprise!" All of her friends and family were there in her, now horse themed, living room.

"God-almighty! Jee – " She exclaimed before laughing along with everyone else. She put a hand to her chest in attempts to stop her racing heart. "Wow." She started to walk further in to join everyone else as her mother began to speak.

"I looked everywhere for My Pretty Pony. I hope this is okay."

Jane looked around at all the decorations and smiled "Oh, it's fantastic, Ma. Thank you."

"Happy birthday." She smiled at her daughter.

Maura stood up and handed her best friend a beer – in a can.

"Wow. Dr. Finicky drinking beer out of a can?"

"A lot of it after today." She said.

Jane nodded her head and took a sip.

"Although I can taste the aluminum."

Barely stifling her laugh, Jane had to stop drinking and press her hand to her mouth. "Mmm." She looked at the can as she thought of something. "Well I got my wish. Hoyt's dead."

"A gift to the world." Korsak said, holding up his plastic red cup. "Happy birthday, Jane."

Frankie walked up to his sister and let her wrap him up in a hug. "Hey."

"What?"

He pulled out an envelope from his back pocket and handed it to her. "Happy birthday."

She opened it as everyone looked on. "You got a ninety-six on your exam? Oh yeah you really bombed it!" She folded it back up and shoved it at him playfully.

"Yeah, he had a good tutor." Korsak said with a smug grin.

"Why are you taking all the credit? I taught him everything he knows!" Frost protested. "Huh?" He looked to Frankie, wanting him to back him up.

"Alright." The youngest detective agreed, giving him a handshake.

Jane laughed at the scene as Maura came up behind her with an obviously carefully wrapped present.

"Hmm." Jane looked at it from all angles, trying to determine what was inside. "Well, this looks a lot smaller than Walter the Thoroughbred."

Maura laughed. "I hope you like them." She said as she watched the other woman open it.

"They're… driving shoes!" She exclaimed, trying – but failing – to hide her confusion.

"Racing shoes." Maura corrected. "Fully lined with fire-resistant dupont nomex."

"And… I need these… because…" She looked down at them as if she was expecting them to speak and tell her what they were for.

Maura didn't let her ponder it for much longer as she extracted an envelope from her bag.

Jane took it with a smile and opened it. "Racing school?" Her grin got exponentially wider when she finally realized what she got. Like a kid on Christmas, she looked up to her Birthday Santa giddily. "You're sending me to racing school?"

"Well, you know, Walter's highest speed is forty miles per hour and – " She wasn't even allowed to finish her speech before she was engulfed in a hug and moving up and down. That didn't mean she stopped talking, however. " – the Lamborgini Murcielago LP640's highest speed is 211. Oh, do you like it?"

"Yes! Yes! Thank you so much! Oh, this is _so _much better than a horse!" She pulled away and looked at it again. "Oh my god!"

Wanting to get on with the party, Angela called out in the background. "Okay! Pinata!"

Jane pulled her eyes away from the paper immediately and looked over at her. "Are you kidding me? It's like… really late and I live in an apartment!"

The older Rizzoli frowned. "But… you used to love them when you were a kid."

"Well, now I like my things to stay intact. And I'm really not in the mood for another concussion." She said, giving Frankie a pointed look.

"C'mon, that was one time!" He protested. "And you were only out for like a minute!"

Jane just smiled at him. "Later, Ma, okay? One head injury is enough for today."

"Fine…" She said, putting down the stick. "Cake?"

"Sure. But no singing!" She said sternly.

Angela, of course, didn't follow that rule, as she lit the candles and sung quite loudly while everyone else watched her silently. After the awkward ten seconds were up, Jane blew out the candles and waited patiently for the first piece.

The rest of the cake was passed around piece by piece as everyone chatted about anything and everything.

As Jane finishes up the last bit of frosting on her plate she spots Maura out of the corner of her eye talking to Frankie. "Excuse me." She said to Korsak and Frost before moving away from them.

Maura spotted her best friend coming towards her and her eyes lit up.

Jane returned the response immediately. "Hey, Maura… can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Well… technically your speech has already surpassed a second."

"Really?"

"I wouldn't lie to you, Jane."

She just let out a sigh of slight aggravation and tugged on the woman's jacket sleeve, pulling her into another room. "Okay, don't laugh at me when I ask you this…"

The M.E. noticed the insecurity in the other woman's voice as well as her posture. "Of course not. Is everything okay?"

Instead of going outright and saying what she wanted, she decided to go the long way around. "Remember when Hoyt was going after me, the first time after you met me?"

"Yes."

"And how I had to spend the night?"

It wasn't very difficult for Maura to make a deduction. "You don't want to be alone tonight?"

"No… I don't. I just feel stupid asking you to stay over cause I'm scared. I mean, he's dead!"

"It's not stupid. It's a normal response. Your brain can't fully process the fact that he is no longer living. It'll take you awhile and I'll spend as many nights with you as you need me to."

Jane beamed at that. "You really mean that? Like… even if there was some hot guy, you would spend the night with me instead of him?"

She didn't even hesitate in her answer. "Of course, Jane. There are many opportunities for that but there's only one you. And you mean more to me than any of them ever could."

Chocolate eyes softened and Jane couldn't stop herself from moving forward and enveloping the other woman in another hug. Though she had received many of them recently, this one was very much needed.

At first Maura was still, not sure what was happening. After all, Jane wasn't the type of person to give random hugs. But then, after a second of processing, she wrapped her own arms around the body in front of her. After a few moments of silence she was surprised when she felt the body start to shake and even more so when she heard small sniffles and soft sobs coming from the other woman.

"Jane?"

Said woman pulled away. "Sorry. It's just – it's been a long day."

"You don't need to apologize." She said, looking into her eyes with as kind a stare as she could muster. It wasn't much given the fact all she wanted to do was hold her and cry along with her. "Do you want me to tell them to leave?" She asked, motioning to the living room.

"No. Party's starting to fade anyway."

Maura looked confused at that. "Really? They seem kind of loud still."

"Nah. You see, when Ma starts collecting plates and stuff it shows she's getting tired. And Frankie's been yawning at least once every minute."

"Wow. I'm impressed! No wonder you're a detective!"

She waved her off. "It's nothing, really. After years of Rizzoli family functions you learn to read clues like this. It won't take you very long to start, I'm sure."

The shorter woman couldn't help but smile at being included in her family. No matter how many times it happens she is always surprised at the thought.

"Should we go back in?"

She nodded and followed her out.

Angela, spotting them, walked up and held back a yawn. "Janey, I think I'm gonna go home."

"Yeah, me too. I'm pretty tired." Frankie echoed.

"Alright. Thanks for the surprise, guys." She said before giving each of her leaving guests a hug.

Soon it was just the two of them left to clean up the slight mess left behind – leaving the decorations for later. It didn't take too long, however, and within a few minutes they were looking over the room to see if they missed anything.

Maura glanced over at Jane and opened and closed her mouth several times before speaking. "So, uh… is it okay – er… can I sleep with you?"

"Why, Dr. Isles, I thought you'd never ask." The detective laughed.

"What?"

She shook her head. "Never mind. Come on, let's go to bed." She said, heading to the bedroom. After putting on pajamas, she slipped under the warm, welcoming blanket.

"You're not using a nightlight?" Maura asked, looking down at her.

"Nah. You're way better than a nightlight."

She beamed and joined her. "You really mean that?"

"Well… you _do _light up a room."

"Jane… I'm not bioluminescent. No mammals are. Well… not naturally. There _was _the cat who was altered to glow in the – "

"I didn't mean it like that."

She smiled. "I know. I was only teasing."

"You need to work on that."

"On what?"

"I can never tell when you're being serious or just joking!"

"It's all part of my charm." She said with a smile.

Jane narrowed her eyes at her, thinking for a moment. "That was… being serious?"

"Jane…"

She cracked a smile. "I know, I know."

Silence swept over the room for a brief moment.

"Hey, uh… Maura?"

"Yes?"

"I have another silly request."

"What is it?"

"Will you…" She winced when she heard it in her head. "Never mind."

"I'm sure it's not silly." Maura assured, reaching out to place a hand on Jane's underneath the covers.

Jane let out a shaky breath before she tried asking it again. "Will you hold me?"

She smiled and scooted over. "Of course." She opened her arms and allowed the other woman's back to sink into her front. She felt a familiar – yet hard to place – rush at the scent of the dark brown locks as her hands settled around the detective's waist.

"Thanks, Maura. Really… I don't know what I'd do without you." She said softly, placing her own hands atop Maura's.

The M.E. didn't trust her voice enough to respond so she just nodded and hoped Jane could feel it from where she was.

She did and smiled before closing her eyes. Surprisingly, sleep came easily and quickly for her.

Maura, however, was not so lucky. Her mind was rushing and her thought processes were a mess. What would normally only take her a few minutes to figure out took her a few hours. But, once it was all settled in her head, she smiled and snuggled in closer to her friend.

XXXXX

"Jane, can you come here for a second?" Maura hollered from the sofa.

Jane, currently in the kitchen, walked over to look over her best friend's shoulder. "You _do _know I was kidding about the horse, right?"

"Oh, this isn't for you. Well… I mean, it kind of is…"

The detective went around and sat next to her before giving her a look asking her to be more coherent.

"I just thought, after all we've been through this week, that we deserve a bit of a break. And it has been ages since I've ridden a horse."

"Maura… I don't really think gettin' wedgies riding on the back of some stinky animal is really the best idea of relaxation."

"Well they don't _just _have horse rides." She pointed to the screen and brought her finger down the list. "Oh! Here's something you might enjoy!"

Jane peered closer. "Clay bird shooting? Really?"

"I thought you liked shooting things!"

"I do! Just… what else they got?" She looked at the list again. "Boat rides, tennis, volleyball, golf, fly-fishing." Her enthusiasm – if she even had any – diminished as she spoke. "We're not fifty!"

"There's other things to do in the area. Look, they have massages!"

"Because that whole 'spa day' thing worked out _so _well last time."

"If you don't want to go – "

"I'm just messing with you, Maura. I'd love to go. Really. As long as I'm with you I don't care what we do."

She wasn't entirely convinced. "I don't want to force you to do something you don't want to do."

"I want to. Sounds like it could be fun and it's a good time to get away."

Maura smiled. "Great! I'll make the reservation, then!"

Jane laughed and got up to finish making her coffee. After taking one long satisfying sip she rejoined the, now frowning, doctor.

"What's that look for?"

"I didn't see that before." She pointed at the screen. "See? Pets allowed but only in the cabins. I booked us in a suite in the main lodge."

"Such a shame." Jane said, rolling her eyes. Inside, though, she was dancing. She _really _didn't want to deal with Bass during her vacation. "So when are we going?"

"Today."

She sighed. "Okay, I appreciate the thought of going there as soon as possible but we haven't started packing. Hell, I don't even know where my suitcase is!"

"No problem, I'll help."

"Don't you need to go home and get started?"

"Not right now. I already have a good idea in my mind of what I'm going to bring."

"Of course you do…"

"So?"

"Fine, fine." She grumbled, walking towards her room. She already knew what was coming. Maura was going to open her closet and admonish her for her taste in clothes.

"Why don't you go look for your suitcase while I sort through this." The M.E. said, pointing to messy assortment of clothes hanging up.

Jane nodded and left the room. Several minutes later she reappeared, this time with a large rectangular bag in her hands.

The M.E. smiled and pointed at the bed. "I've already selected a few outfits."

"You… have?"

"Why do you sound surprised?"

"No – it's just… usually you tell me how bad my clothes are and won't stop until I agree to go shopping with you…"

"Well I've come to realize that your poor wardrobe is just a part of who you are. And I very much like who you are. Why change it?"

She eyed the shorter woman curiously. "Maura… you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, Jane. Why don't you pack up while I deal with the decorations?"

"You sure?"

She nodded and left.

Jane just watched the doorway for a moment, trying to figure out this odd feeling she had. Something was different. She _knew _it. She pondered it while she threw her things in her suitcase and on the ride to Maura's. She was finally struck with something as she watched the other woman pack. She was _really _looking forward to this trip. Though not in the normal sense – that is, finally getting a vacation from her TV drama status life – but in a way she looked forward to spending some time with Steve Sana – a guy she was crazy about in high school.

"Jane?"

"Hmm?"

"I asked if you were ready to go."

"Oh! Yeah, let's go!"

Maura looked at her oddly before leading the way to the car. After she put her, much larger, suitcase next to Jane's she started the car and they drove off. The next three hours were filled with uncharacteristic silence, as both women were deep in thought about the upcoming days together.

XXXXX

I've posted a link to the place they're going to stay in my profile if anyone wanted to look at it before the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Okay, I lied. It's too big now to be a twoshot (plus I wanted some more time to finish it) so it'll be a threeshot! Hope you enjoy this next chapter!

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After what seemed like forever, the forest opened up into a clearing where they could see the resort. Maura pulled her car into the dirt area designated for guest parking. Before they could even get their bags out of her trunk, a man in a uniform came by to help.

"Hi, welcome to the Mountain Top Inn! My name's Tom. Can I help you with your bags?"

"Certainly!" Maura chimed. "Oh, and I'm Maura and this is Jane." She said, pointing to herself then the other woman.

He smiled and nodded at the both of them. When he saw Jane he was a bit taken aback at the steri-strips that were still on.

"Are you… okay?" He asked, touching his own forehead.

"Huh?" Her hand mirrored his and she smiled. "Oh, yeah. Just a run-in with a serial killer. Happens all the time." She waved him off.

"Right…" He said slowly, before taking the bags and starting towards the building rather quickly.

Jane just let out a little laugh and walked alongside Maura, where they followed him inside. The lobby was warm – and not just because of the fireplace roaring a few feet away. It was decorated in a nice rustic-modern style that fit in nicely with the view of the landscape that could be seen through the large windows along the walls.

The three of them walked up to the desk and began the check in process. After confirming a room number, Tom left to drop off the luggage while the two women were given the run down about the resort and some of the surrounding attractions.

"Okay, so if there's anything you need you can always come here or call the front desk," he said, pointing to a phone on the table. "There's always someone down here to assist you if need be."

"Thank you." Maura said and grabbed their keys.

"Finally!" Jane exclaimed. "Now we just need to find some food!"

"The kitchens won't be open for another few hours." The man reminded them.

Maura dragged the now grumbling detective away and towards the elevators. "Don't worry, Jane, I thought ahead. There's a cheese plate and some wine waiting for us in our room."

"Awesome!" She exclaimed as she perked back up. "It's been awhile since I've had cheese with you that wasn't in a freezer with dead things!"

A passing guest looked at her oddly and, in an attempt to pretend like she didn't hear anything, pulled out her cell phone and started texting.

The two paid her no mind, however, and went up to their room where they enjoyed some cheese and wine while they unpacked their things.

No surprise, Jane was done first. She flipped through a few papers they got when they checked in and frowned when a thought came to her. "So, uh… we only have one bed?"

Maura stopped her sorting and turned to her. "That's okay, isn't it? I mean, we _did _share a bed last night."

"Yeah… I just thought you might want your own, that's all." She said

She shook her head. "It might seem odd but I actually prefer sleeping with you rather than alone."

Jane couldn't help a giant grin breaking out across her face. "Really?" She couldn't help but ask: "Why?"

The shorter woman shrugged. "I don't really know. You make me feel safe; comfortable. Which is an ideal situation for slumber, obviously."

"Obviously." She echoed back mockingly, even though she was really touched.

Maura glared at her but knew she was joking. "So I was thinking… why don't we just explore the grounds today. Maybe we can talk about some of the things we want to do while we're here?" Maura said after she closed the last dresser drawer.

"Sounds good to me!" Jane said, popping another cube of cheese in her mouth before chasing it down with some merlot.

The M.E. looked around the room to be sure they put everything away. "Want to go now?"

"How about in a few more cheese cubes?" She asked, shoving another one in her mouth.

She quirked an eyebrow up in amusement. "You were hungry, weren't you?"

"All I had was coffee! I'm not the one who decided to go on a spontaneous vacation!"

Maura frowned. "I'm sorry. I just figured…"

"No! It's fine! I was just saying… a stop at McDonald's would have been awesome."

She shook her head. "You know how I feel about french fry grease in my car. And after last time…"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." She said before finishing her wine and grabbing a few more cheesy treats to go. "Shall we?" She motioned to the door.

They walked back down to the ground floor and out the door. There they saw a vast green field. A few people were trotting around on horses a few yards away. Closer to them were badminton and tennis courts as well as shuffleboard to their left. Each activity was well spread out, however, giving them plenty of room to just stroll around without being in anyone's way.

"Which way do you want to go?" Maura asked, looking up at the other woman.

Jane just shrugged.

"Well, I think I remember him saying that there's a small beach this way." She said, pointing to the right. "Want to go see?"

"Sure." She said, happy to do whatever as long as it involved being near the other woman.

So off they went ambling in the general direction of the water at a leisurely pace.

When Maura's line of sight went to watch the people on the tennis court, Jane took that opportunity to observe her and her thoughts went back to similar ones from the morning. Suddenly she became very aware of their proximity and took a step about a foot to the right. She hoped Maura didn't notice.

The M.E. turned back to Jane to ask her something and her brows furrowed at the increased distance. She didn't say anything about that, however, and just continued on with her original question. "Anything in particular you wanted to do tomorrow?"

"Not really. Though I'd rather not have a massage." Or anything else that involves the other woman being partially naked, she thought.

"Alright. How about horse riding? There's a trail that they'll take us down, I heard it's going to be great!"

"When exactly did you hear that? You just booked this place this morning!"

"I read reviews before settling on it, though."

"Oh… makes sense I guess."

Maura smiled at her. "So? Horses tomorrow?"

"Sure." She said, thinking it was a safe choice. After all, they'd have to be at least a few feet away from each other.

They continued their stroll in relative silence. Only a few times Maura spoke up about something else they could do and Jane just nodded her head, knowing she'd be forced to do it anyway. Within a few minutes they were walking out onto an expansive sandy area dotted with people enjoying the day.

Deciding to hang out at the water's edge, the two headed closer to the shoreline, taking a path that had them near the trees. On the way, Jane's shoe got caught in a tree root and she stumbled down.

Maura, holding back a laugh, offered her hand to the scowling detective. "Are you okay?"

She took the offered help and was pulled up. "I'm fine. Stupid trees." She muttered.

They continued their walk, both very aware of one little thing: they were still holding hands. Neither one of them wanted to release their hold, for obvious reasons, so they just kept strolling along in silence. Sure, they got a few odd looks, and more than a few kind smiles, but they kept walking, while Maura talked about the last time she had ridden a horse.

Eventually, Jane got a stroke of bravery and shifted her hold on the other woman's hand from the loose grip from before to interlacing their fingers together. This earned a smile that played on Maura's lips as she continued talking.

Once they got to the shore they stood there and gazed out on the Chittenden Reservoir.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Jane looked over at her and smiled. "Yeah." She replied, trying her best to keep this from turning into a cheesy romantic comedy and adding: 'you are'.

The mood abruptly shifted when Maura pulled her hand away. Jane felt the cold absence immediately but understood the reasoning as she saw the other woman taking off her shoes. She followed suit and placed them to the side. She couldn't contain her grin when the M.E. laced their fingers together again. Jane was feeling increasingly optimistic about the outcome of this trip. It hadn't taken her too long to realize that she wanted to be with the other woman as more than a friend – even more than LLBFF's – and she was starting to believe that the girl of her dreams really could be hers. As much as she wanted to say something about this in hopes her thinking was correct, she decided to go a different route.

"I wonder if the water's cold." The detective asked, suddenly wanting to be like a kid again and go splashing around in the waves.

"Probably. Lakes and reservoirs in this area get around the mid to high sixties at this time of year."

"Let's go in!" She said excitedly, ignoring the distinct probability of freezing.

"I'd rather not. And, besides, we're not really dressed to go swimming."

"I never said anything about swimming. Just… walk around for a bit. We can roll up our pants, it'll be fine."

Normally, Maura would protest something like this but she didn't have the heart to deny Jane what she wanted. "Alright, but not for too long."

Jane was actually kind of shocked it didn't take much argument – figuring the other woman was wearing some kind of expensive designer pants – but she just smiled and got to rolling up her own pants. Maura did the same. Without even saying a word, they reconnected their hands and waded out into the frigid liquid.

The detective sucked in a breath sharply the instant her skin hit the water. "Yeah… that's cold."

"I told you." Maura smiled, though still wincing at the biting chilliness starting to creep up her leg as they went in further.

"But it's nice too. Once you get used to it."

"You're used to it already?" She asked, shocked, as she was still shivering slightly.

"Not yet."

The M.E. laughed when the other woman reacted to the chill running up her spine. Just as she was going to suggest they stay on the beach, a round blue object splashed a few feet in front of them.

"Oh, no! My ball!" A little girl yelled, seeing the small sphere go out further.

Jane rushed forward before it got too far out. Just before the hem of her pants would get wet, she grabbed it. She carefully made her way back to shore and handed it to the kid.

"Aww, how cute." Maura commented when she walked back over. "This does seem like a good place to bring the kids in the future." She said with a slight wince when she realized what she was implying.

She smiled at her and nodded her head, thinking the very same thing. "Probably even better during the winter."

The M.E. looked over at her with a soft smile on her face. After she steeled herself, she opened her mouth to say something that she had been thinking about all day. "Jane?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really happy to be here with you."

Jane caressed the other woman's hand with her thumb. "Me too."

She looked out to the setting sun and took in a breath. "There's been something on my mind… something that I should probably tell you."

Jane frowned, thinking it was something else. "You _are_ sleeping with my brother, aren't you?"

She laughed. "No. It has nothing to do with Tommy."

"Thank God! Then what is it?"

Maura opened her mouth but what she intended didn't come out. "Ow!" She looked down at the Frisbee at her feet and then over in the direction it came from. She saw a man running towards her.

"Sorry about that!" He said, mid-jog. "I didn't hurt you did I?" He asked when he stopped in front of them.

"No. It's fine." She said curtly, more upset at being interrupted than being hit with the plastic disc.

"So, uh… I know it might be a little strange to ask you this since I just met you but… we're having a barbeque over at our cabin in a few if you wanted to join us."

Jane, having read through the restaurant's menu when Maura was organizing her drawers, readily agreed. "Sounds great!"

"Jane!" Maura admonished. "We hardly know these people."

"So? Free food! And he nearly decapitated you. It's the least he can do!"

"Yeah, it's the least I can do." He echoed with a smile.

"You sure about this, Jane?"

"Definitely!"

"Alright…" She said, still unsure about spending time with a bunch of strangers. After all, this vacation was supposed to be about them spending time alone, away from any sort of stressors. And this was definitely not what she had in mind.

"Great!" He beamed. "We're gonna head over in a few, so you can come with us."

"Sounds like a plan!" Jane said.

He motioned for them to follow him over to his friends. "Hey guys. This is… uh, sorry, what were your names?"

"I'm Jane, this is Maura." She answered.

"Well I'm Josh and this is Paul, Steven and his fiancée Mary." He said, pointing to each person as he mentioned them.

There was a round of 'nice to meet you' before they got to gathering their things and headed along the path back to the main resort.

"So are you in one of the farther cabins?" Maura asked Josh, who was walking right beside her.

"No. We're actually right next to the lobby… well, not _right _next to but… you know what I mean."

"Yeah." She nodded, having studied a map of the resort before she booked the reservation.

The walk back was relatively quiet. The only conversations were between Jane and Paul as he was asking her what she does for a living and such. Josh tried striking a conversation with Maura a few times but she gave him short answers each time.

Minutes later they were walking into a nice cabin. Josh and Paul went to get started on the food while the rest stayed behind in the living room and talked about anything and everything that came up. As they talked, they enjoyed a cool beer. As the alcohol intake increased, the new pair became more comfortable and chattier.

"Alright, food's done!" Josh said, walking in. "Who wants a burger?"

The other four walked into the kitchen to get their plates filled with burgers, potato salad, and chips – anything you might normally find at a picnic.

They ate and continued their conversations. As soon as the food disappeared, the hard liquor came out.

Josh walked up to Maura, who was standing a few feet away from the shot takers. "So, Maura, fancy a dip in the hot tub?"

"No, sorry. I don't even have a bathing suit."

"Neither do I." He winced when he realized how that came out. "Okay, that sounded creepy. I didn't meant that we'd be naked or anything just – underwear. I do it all the time."

"No thanks."

He shrugged, not too put off by the rejection. He was understandably drawn to her and tried again to spark a conversation. "So how long are you here for?"

"A few more days."

"Cool. Us too. Maybe we should hang out again."

"I don't know, Josh. We had planned for this trip to be about relaxation."

He shot her a suave smile. "I can certainly help you relax."

She smiled at him too, but it was apologetic. "Sorry. Not that you're not attractive, you are, I'm just not interested." Her gaze moved to Jane – who was in the middle of taking shots.

He followed the look and nodded. "No worries. I completely understand." While he was definitely saddened at the fact, he _did _have an inkling that there was more between those two than they let on. "So how long have you been together?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You and Jane. How long have you been a couple?"

She couldn't help but smile at that. "We're not."

"Oh, sorry… I just thought – "

"No… I'd like to be. I just haven't told her yet. I was actually in the middle of doing so when I got hit with your Frisbee."

He winced. "Sorry about that. I'm sure she feels the same way, though."

She nodded. "I certainly hope so."

The party went on for a while longer. Eventually, as the drinks diminished and yawns increased, they decided it was about time to call it a night.

"Why don't you two stay here," Josh offered. "It's pretty late and you guys have had a lot to drink. We have a spare room."

"Maura?" Jane asked her companion, figuring it was up to her.

She nodded, not feeling up to walking to the lodge, no matter how short the trip.

"Alright, I'll show you to the room." He said, starting to walk down a hallway. It didn't take very long for him to stop in front of a room. "So two of our friends aren't gonna be here till tomorrow. You can have their room."

"Thank you." Maura said sincerely.

"No problem." He smiled. "Have a good night, you two."

The two women walked into the room. It was lightly furnished – just two twin beds and a dresser – but perfect for tonight.

"Which one do you want?" Jane asked.

"I don't care."

"Kay." She said before jumping into the bed closest to the window.

Maura sighed when she realized she would have to sleep in her clothes but she was too tired to really care. She climbed into her own bed and smiled over at the already fast asleep detective. It took her a few minutes to join her, as her mind was busy trying to figure out a good way to continue the conversation that was interrupted earlier.

XXXXX

"This is a really nice place." Maura commented, looking out the window that their table was right next to.

"Yeah." Jane agreed.

"Here's your food miss." He says, placing a severed head in front of her.

"Wha-" She looked up at the server and gasped. "Hoyt! What are you doing here?"

"Just staying close to my favorite detective." He grinned. "And anyway, I just thought you might want this." He handed replaced her dinner knife with a scalpel. "You're pretty good with it, if I recall correctly. Just like me: killing in cold blood."

"I'm not a killer." She protested firmly.

"I beg to differ." He laughed. "What was it that you did to me?"

"That's different! You're a monster! You deserved to die!"

He shook his head. "Face it, Jane. You're a killer. I would have died anyway but you wanted to kill me."

Jane's breathing picked up and she looked around for some kind of escape. She looked to Maura across the table and pleaded. "Maura, tell him I'm not! You know me! Tell him!"

"Sorry, Jane. I can't lie. I was there… you killed him. You're a killer."

"No." She shook her head violently. "No, no, no, no, no." With each passing word the world around her faded into darkness as she drifted back into consciousness.

She bolted up in bed, sweating bullets. The dream still remained at the edge of her mind and was biting at her sanity.

"Jane?" The M.E. asked, leaning over her bed. "Are you okay? You've been yelling in your sleep."

"I… Wha-?" She was shaking as the dream replayed in her mind. She was still trying to fight the accusations but was starting to take them to heart.

Maura, seeing the obviously distressed state her best friend was in, climbed into the bed and wiped away sweat-soaked strands of hair before placing a gentle kiss on her temple. She pulled the other woman in close, mimicking the same position they were in the night before, and traced light patterns on delicate skin of a marred hand in attempts at soothing her. A few minutes passed and she felt the detective's breathing slow as she calmed.

"Sorry, Maura." She apologized. "Bad dream."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

"But it is! I'm a killer. Hoyt was going to die anyway… I'm a cold blooded killer. Just like him."

"Shh… you're not. Everything's okay. Just try and relax."

Jane closed her eyes and focused on doing just that as she listened to the calming breathing of the other woman. A few minutes later, with the aid of Maura's presence, she slipped into a peaceful – and dreamless – sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This chapter dedicated to Vargas1989 for her (belated) birthday! Also, Sorry for the long wait. The last few weeks have been filled to the brim with homework and presentations. This story is probably going to be it for awhile. I don't really see myself posting anything new until the next episode airs. I hope you enjoy this one, though!

XXXXX

Jane awoke first, smiled at the feel of being in Maura's arms and tried her best to shift without waking the other woman. When she succeeded, her smile widened at the sight of the peaceful look on her face. She brought her hand up – not an easy task when it was still wedged under Maura's arm – and pushed a loose strand behind the M.E.'s ear. She ghosted her fingers along the contours of her face and was more than tempted to place a kiss on those lips that were just calling her name but she managed to refrain.

A few minutes later, Maura stirred. She let out a little groan as muscles stretched just before her eyes opened. When they did, she smiled at the wonderful sight that greeted her. "Morning."

"Morning." Jane grinned back.

"Have you been staring at me?" She asked knowingly.

The detective's face fell, thinking she had been found out. "Sorry. I did'n –"

"No, it's okay." She assured. "I was staring at you yesterday morning so… we're even."

Jane's smile returned. "Maura, listen… I wanna – " Her words were cut off by a knock on the door.

"You guys up yet?" It was Josh. "We made breakfast."

Maura's brows furrowed. "What time is it?" She sat up and looked around for the clock but found none. "Usually I'm one of the first up."

"Well I did wake you up last night." She reminded with a grim look as she sat up as well. "Sorry about that again."

The M.E.'s look softened. Her hand went up to cup the cheek of the other woman and she moved the pad of her thumb gently across soft skin. "Don't be. Though I'm surprised you managed to get back to sleep so quickly."

"Well… you do have a sort of calming effect on me – when you want to." She said, ending with a teasing grin.

Maura just smiled and then sighed. "I suppose we should go out there. I really wish I wasn't wearing wrinkled clothes though." Her nose crinkled in disgust at the thought.

"You could always go out naked." Jane quipped. "I'm sure the guys would enjoy that." As would she but she figured it was best not to add that.

Maura just shot her a glare and got up before heading out to the kitchen to join the others – Jane following closely behind.

"Hey! There you two are!" Josh said, scooping some eggs onto his plate. "You hungry? Plates are right there." He pointed the serving spoon to a stack of them about a foot away. He wanted to ask about the screaming coming from their room last night but figured it was really none of his business.

Jane grabbed one and handed it to Maura with a smile before grabbing her own.

They piled their plates with an assortment of breakfast items before joining the others at the table.

"So. What's the plan for today?" Paul asked, mostly directed to his own group.

Josh, Steven and Mary shrugged. They still had a few hours until their other friends showed up.

"Jane and I were going on a horse ride later today." Maura offered.

"Sounds fun!" Paul smiled.

They got off into a discussion about the various activities offered at the resort until their plates were empty and the remaining food was cold.

"We should probably get going." Maura said with a tinge of regret as she was enjoying the time she was having with her new friends.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you two!" Josh said with a warm smile as he stood up. "I hope we can hang out again before you leave."

"Yeah, me too."

Warm goodbyes and hugs were passed around before the duo left and made their short journey to their suite.

"Do you want the shower first or – ?" Maura started, pointing at the bathroom.

Jane shook her head. "No, you go for it."

She smiled gratefully, ready to get out of those wrinkled clothes, and headed in.

The other woman fell backwards on the bed with a heavy sigh. She was just about ready to tell Maura how she felt when Josh interrupted them. Maybe it was for the best, she mused. Maybe Maura didn't feel the same way. Maybe this was just the world telling her not to even try or she'll lose her as her best friend. She frowned at that thought. As she attempted to stop thinking about Maura, her mind drifted to something even worse – her dream. It replayed in her mind and her feelings of distress returned.

"Jane?"

She looked up at the M.E. garbed in only a towel.

"Are you okay? You look a little pale."

Jane just nodded her head and bolted into the bathroom. She didn't want to stay in there for much longer due to both the dream lingering in her mind and Maura's state of undress. She let the shower calm her down and reentered the room. Soon they were both ready to head out.

They walked down to the stables very aware of the silence that had overcome them. Maura was stuck thinking she said or did something wrong earlier while Jane was worried that the other woman shared something with Dream-Maura and thought that she was a cold-blooded killer.

They headed into the large barn-like structure and spotted a man brushing out a horse's mane.

"Hello?" Maura called out to get his attention.

He looked up and saw them. Smiling, he greeted back. "Hello. How can I help you?"

"We want to go for a ride."

"Alright." He put down the brush and walked over to a nearby table and looked at a piece of paper sitting there. He furrowed his brows. "Did you make a reservation?"

Maura's face dropped. "No, sorry… I didn't even – "

"It's okay. We're not too busy so I can take you out there now."

She smiled. "Thank you so much."

"It's no problem. I'm Ty by the way."

"Maura."

"Jane."

"Nice to meet you two." He smiled. "Have either one of you ridden before?"

Maura nodded while Jane shook her head.

"Looks like we'll have to do a lesson then."

"I can just watch." Jane offered.

"Don't be ridiculous, Jane. You'll have fun, I promise." Maura said.

"If you say so…" She wasn't convinced.

"It's okay. I'll let you start on my buddy Walter here. He's very friendly." He said, patting the horse he was just brushing.

Jane didn't even attempt to hold back the burst of laughter that erupted from her lips.

Maura looked over at her and let out a slight laugh as well, though nowhere near what Jane was doing.

Ty, getting over his shock at the suddenness of it, looked confused. "Um… What just happened?"

"A few days ago I was asking her what she wanted for her birthday," Maura started, explaining. "And Jane jokingly said she wanted a thoroughbred named Walter."

He smiled. "Well that's quite a coincidence. But Walter's no thoroughbred." He said before he took the horse out and got him ready. He handed Jane a helmet and, a few minutes later, they were all walking out of the stable and towards the lesson ring.

Ty put down a step stool next to Walter and motioned Jane towards her. "Okay, we're gonna go as slow as you need to."

She snorted. "I'm not five. I can do this no problem."

His smile showed slight mischievousness as he stepped aside. "Alright then. Get on."

"Uh…" She looked at the saddle, which was about five feet off the ground, and the small step that was barely a foot tall. She stepped on it and looked at where she needed to be. Taking a deep breath she leaped and threw her body on top of it. She gripped at the saddle when she started to slip off but ended up on the ground anyway.

Maura tried to make a joke, albeit a bad one. "Come on, Jane, you know the saying. Just get back on the horse." She, of course, was the only one who laughed at it.

Jane shot her a glare as she got up. "You're not helping." Not being one to give up, she tried again. This time she was closer, almost managing to get one leg over. Gravity won the battle, however, and she slumped on the ground once again.

"Ready for instruction now?" He said looking down at her with an amused look on his face.

She sighed in defeat and nodded.

He rejoined her and pointed at the stirrup. "Put your left foot in there."

She did as she was told.

"Now stand and throw your other leg over."

She did and looked over at the other two in amazement. "That was too easy!"

He laughed and adjusted the stirrups for her height. "Okay, so before we can even start moving there are some things you need to know. First of all, always keep the stirrup at the ball of your feet. If it goes back to your heel you can really hurt yourself when you fall off."

"Don't you mean _if_ I fall off?"

He and Maura shared a look and he just continued on. "Keep your thumbs on top of the rein and have your fingers underneath." He watched her do as he instructed. "Yes, like that. Now another thing. You're going to want to keep your knees like a V. Just keep them bent like how they are now."

She nodded.

"Any questions before we start going?"

"Nope."

"Alright." He started walking and clucked his tongue, causing the horse to follow.

"Whoa!" Jane said when Walter moved.

Maura laughed and walked alongside them.

After they went forward for awhile, Ty instructed Jane on a number of other things, including how to go faster, how to stop, and how to turn. After he was sure she would do fine on the trails he led them back to the stable.

Maura picked out a horse and Ty hopped on his own before he led them to the trail.

Things started out pretty nice. The surrounding vegetation was breathtaking as the leaves fell around them. Maura and Jane had their horses side by side so they were able to talk about a variety of things. Ty would even join in every once in awhile if he had something interesting to add.

As they got further out their pace gradually increased. Jane was having slight difficulty staying balanced but was very determined not to fall off when their gentle stroll turned into more of a trot.

"Are you okay over there, Jane?" Maura asked, noticing the look of intense concentration on her face.

"Yeah… just – how much longer do we have?"

She shrugged. "Probably only another few minutes."

The detective hoped that was the case. Her legs were starting to get really tired.

The M.E.'s assumptions were correct when, a few moments later, they saw the stables as the forest cleared away. They rode over and dismounted.

"Thank you for the ride, Ty." Maura smiled. "You have such a beautiful trail. And the horses are lovely."

He beamed. "Well thank you!"

Jane grumbled a thanks too, slightly upset at feeling so sore, and they both walked out.

The rest of the day was spent around the resort. First they grabbed a late lunch, which wasn't as bad as Jane thought. She did, however, spend a good chunk of time carefully eyeing the waiters, still paranoid about her dream. She also made sure to check her food for any human flesh, even going so far as to ask Maura about the chances of it. She, of course, didn't provide a helpful answer – stating that she would need to have proper testing done to be sure. From there they went to the lawn and played the various games available – tennis, badminton, horse shoes, croquet, volleyball and even shuffleboard – where they met a few friendly people to play against. Jane, with her competitive streak, made sure their team always won.

"That was just what I needed!" The detective exclaimed when they walked into their room after dinner. "Some nice friendly competition to clear my head!"

"But, Jane," Maura started with a curious look. "You always have competitive games available at work. Need I remind you of hallway football, hallway soccer, trashcan basketball, hallway – " She said, listing them off on her fingers.

"Okay, okay, I get it. But here it's actually allowed. It's nice to be able to play something without worrying if Cavanaugh is nearby."

Maura nodded. "Yes. And it's nice for me not to worry about you breaking any of my things. I still don't understand why you insist on using _my _trashcans."

"You have the good ones!" She insisted.

She shook her head and decided to change the subject. "I was thinking about checking out this corn maze tomorrow. It looks like a lot of fun."

"Sure… sounds good to me."

"How about after breakfast?"

Jane nodded in agreement. "That's fine."

Maura yawned. "Wow, we had a pretty long day, didn't we? I'm exhausted."

As yawns are as contagious as any flu or cold, Jane followed suit. "Me too." She said, punctuating that statement by plopping face first on the bed.

"What do you think you're doing?"

She rolled over and looked at the other woman, whose tone was slightly harsh. "Whatdya mean? I'm going to bed."

"Not without a shower. You smell like a horse."

She laughed. "So do you."

"I know. That's why I didn't lay on the bed."

Jane rolled her eyes and got up. "Fine. But I'm _really _tired. Can't we just save time and take one together?"

Maura's face flushed bright red and she stammered. "N-no. You can take one first and go to bed while I'm in there."

She shook her head. "I can't. I won't feel safe unless you're in bed with me."

The shorter woman beamed. "Go shower. I'll be quick with mine, I promise."

She nodded and headed into the bathroom, coming out minutes later smelling fresh. Maura did the same and came out in her pajamas, seeing Jane waiting patiently. They slid into bed and Maura was slightly surprised when the other woman snuggled in close to her.

"Good night, Jane." She whispered.

Said woman was fading off to sleep but a faint whisper escaped her lips. "Love you."

Maura smiled and tucked that away in her mind for when she found the perfect moment to bring it up. The gentle phrase played over in her mind and lulled her to sleep.

XXXXX

The two woke up much like the morning before, only, this time, Maura was up first. They enjoyed the warm and comfortable air that surrounded them for a few moments before getting ready for their day.

After going down to the dining room and grabbing a quick, yet tasty, breakfast, they went to the car and made the short trip to the Hathaway Farm less than ten miles away.

As they walked up to the small building at the entrance of the maze, Maura was struck with an idea. Telling Jane here might be a good idea. It's relatively secluded and even slightly romantic.

They paid the admission fee and walked in.

"So, what do you think? Left or right?" Jane asked.

"Uh…"

"Hey there ladies! No boyfriends with you today?" A man who was part of the group behind them yelled out as he walked over to them.

"We don't have them." Maura answered before walking forward briskly.

"Oh, really?" He smiled and ran to catch up with them. "Well then, which one of you lucky ladies wants to be mine?"

The M.E. let out an aggravated sigh and kept walking.

"You want me to tell him to get lost?" Jane asked.

"No, it's okay… I'm sure he'll take the hint eventually."

She nodded, thinking the same. They kept walking for a few more minutes, getting lost in the maze. Every turn they made, however, so did the man behind them.

He ran up and stopped in front of them. "I get it. Playin' hard to get, huh? Cute. Now how about it? Why don't you ditch your friend and we can have some fun?" He said, directing his words towards Jane.

"Beat it, loser." She responded.

He frowned and walked towards them again. "Come on!"

Maura turned around. "She said no! I don't get why that's so hard for you to understand!"

He was visibly taken aback by the ferocity in her voice. "Geez, I was only playing around…" He said before walking off and muttering some other choice words under his breath.

"Wow, Maura."

"Sorry," She said sheepishly. "I was just – he was getting really annoying."

"Yeah, but… I mean I'd get it if I did something like that but you?"

She shrugged and kept walking.

"Maura…" She started, wanting to find out what was really bothering her.

Said woman stopped and grabbed a hold of Jane's wrist. She dragged her to a nearby picnic table, one of the few located within the maze, and sat down.

Jane followed, sitting next to her.

Maura took in a breath and ran her fingers along Jane's hand as a way to comfort herself.

"What is it? Did I do something wrong?"

"What? No! Of course not!" She said adamantly. "It's just… I need to tell you something. Something I've been trying to say for the last few days."

"Okay… Go ahead." She said after a few moments of silence.

"Um… how do I put this?" She thought for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to say it before deciding that blunter is better. "I'm in love with you."

Jane stared at her blankly. "You – you what?"

"I'm in love with you. So so much in love with you."

"But – are you sure? After what I did to Hoyt – I mean, I don't deserve – "

"No! Don't talk like that! Of course you deserve to be loved! I don't know anyone who is more deserving!"

"But I _killed _him, Maura. He would have died anyway… there were other ways to stop him…"

Maura shook her head. "You're not like him." She said firmly, gazing into conflicted chocolate eyes while gently rubbing her hand.

She broke the gaze and spoke softly. "You were passed out. You didn't even see…"

"But I know you." She brought her hand up to regain eye contact. "You're sweet and kind and you'd do anything to help others. Do I even need to remind you of what happened several months ago? The whole city was celebrating _you _because you're so selfless and amazing."

"Do – do you really see me that way?" Jane looked at her in amazement.

She nodded. "Most definitely."

"But – "

"No buts. You didn't do anything wrong. He's the killer. Not you." She knew it would probably take awhile for Jane to believe it but was willing to do anything it took – even suggesting to Cavanaugh to make Jane have a required psychological evaluation.

"Thanks, Maura." She smiled and scooted closer. She smiled and leaned in closer but pulled back when her lips were dangerously close to the one's she's been dying to kiss for awhile. "Oh, I forgot…. I love you too."

Maura beamed, moved forward, and wrapped her arms around the other woman's neck as she connected their lips together. The sensation was incredible – mind numbing, almost.

They sat there, minds reeling, as their session continued. All the love and passion pent up inside them was released and shown through the dancing of their tongues and the movement of their lips.

When they finally broke away they were panting. Despite their breathlessness they were beaming and wanted so badly to go for round two. Maura, however, thought it would be best not to.

"We should probably find our way out of this maze." She said, standing up and holding out her hand to the detective.

She nodded and interlaced her fingers with the offered hand before following her through another corridor made of corn. "So do you have any idea where we are?"

"Not a clue."

"Great…"

"You're not having fun, are you?"

Jane laughed. "Only you would have the definition of fun be: 'trapped in a maze of corn'."

"Well actually, the definition of fun is – "

"Never mind." She said with a smile. "What I meant is that I would much rather be in our room now."

"You're feeling tired?"

"Far from it."

Understanding registered on her face. "Oh..." She smiled. "Jane, we have plenty of time for that later."

"I know…" She sighed. "But with the way I feel about you, we might get arrested for indecent exposure." She said jokingly.

Maura laughed, hoping it was just a joke, as she was still having trouble discerning such things.

They strolled through the maze for another hour, holding hands all the while, until they finally found their way out.

"Did you two enjoy the maze?" The farm's owner asked when she spotted them coming out of the exit.

Jane laughed. "We kinda got lost for awhile."

"Then I did my job right!" She smiled and then looked at them for a moment. "Let me guess… you two are on your honeymoon, right?"

A look of surprise appeared on each of their faces and Maura answered. "No… what would make you say that?"

"Oh, I was just getting that vibe. You two make such a lovely couple."

"T-thanks…" She said.

"You're very welcome. Is there anything I can do for you? A tour of the farm, perhaps?"

Jane shook her head. "No… but do you know of anywhere good to eat? I'm starving!"

She thought for a moment. "Well there's this nice restaurant not too far from here. It was voted 'best place to take a date' last year!" She said excitedly. "Hang on a moment and I'll write down some directions."

Maura smiled over at Jane when she left. "I guess this will be our first date."

The detective thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "Naw. First official date, yes."

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, Maura. We've had tons of dates already. At the Robber, your ex's dinner party, wherever… the only difference is that now I'm allowed to kiss you afterwards."

Maura smiled. "I never thought of it that way."

"Okay, here it is!" The woman said walking up to them while holding out a sheet of paper. "I hope you lovely ladies enjoy yourselves! And come back for a visit soon!"

"Sure thing!" Maura chimed back.

They walked to the car and drove to the restaurant, only getting lost for a few minutes. When they walked in they were immediately struck with the warm and friendly atmosphere.

The hostess smiled and greeted them. "Hello, welcome to Table 24. Just you two this afternoon?"

"Yes." Maura answered.

"Right this way." She grabbed two menus and led them inside their dining room, placing them at a table against a wall. She put a menu in front of each one of them. "Your server will be right with you."

They scanned their menus, finding a number of different things to choose from, each one looking more delicious than the last.

After they ordered, and their food arrived, they got to talking about what they wanted to do for the rest of the day – besides the obvious.

"I just think that, since we're here, we should enjoy what the resort has to offer." Maura insisted. "We can spend all the time we want alone in Boston."

Jane frowned but knew she was right. "Yeah. That makes sense." She said before taking another bite from her BLT. "What'd you have in mind?"

"Well… I think a boat ride would be romantic, don't you?"

"With you a sinus infection can be romantic." She laughed.

She narrowed her eyes as the edge of her lips turned downward. "Are you making fun of me?"

"No! I just meant that… as long as I'm with you it's romantic."

The other woman's expression turned around completely. "Aww, thanks Jane."

"No problem, babe." She said with a playful wink.

They took their time to finish eating as they discussed what will happen when they go back home. It was agreed upon immediately that Angela would freak out – though probably not in a bad way. But they weren't sure how the rest of their friends and Jane's family would react to the news.

Deciding to just cross that bridge when they get there, they paid and left. In no time they were back at the resort and heading towards the beach again.

After they discovered that they just missed the last pontoon boat ride for awhile, they decided to go out in a canoe.

This time it was Jane who had some experience, having learned how to maneuver one of these in camp one year as a kid. Maura let her take control of the rowing and they slowly made their way out to the middle of the reservoir.

"Should I just go to the other side and go back or…" Jane asked, stopping her rowing.

Maura shook her head. "No." She leaned forward and took the oars from her before placing them in the boat. "How about we just stay out here. It's nice."

"Yeah." She smiled. Now it was her turn to lean forward, grabbing Maura instead of the oars. "Come here." She slid down onto the floor of the boat and brought the other woman in to sit between her legs so Maura's back was against her front. She wrapped her arms around her waist and placed her chin on her shoulder.

They stayed like that, occasionally shifting for a kiss, until sunset where they watched the changing colors of the sky play on the water, creating a beautiful effect.

Without a word, the two sat up and made their way back to shore, all the while gazing lovingly into each other's eyes.

As soon as their feet hit the sand, Jane's stomach growled.

Maura laughed. "I guess we should get some dinner now, huh?"

"A quick bite to eat wouldn't hurt." She said, grabbing hold of her love's hand for the long walk over.

As they were making their way across the lawn they heard a familiar voice.

"Hey guys!"

They turned and spotted Josh, along with his friends. They smiled and greeted him back.

"So, how've things been? Enjoying your vacation?" He took notice of their hands and smiled.

"Yep. It's going fantastically!" Maura exclaimed.

"That's good to hear! Well, we were just on our way to have a bonfire on the beach. It's nice seeing you again!" He would have invited them along but he figured they had a few things they wanted to do alone.

"You too!" They said back.

"You know, part of me wishes we could have spent more time with them. They were fun." Jane said. "But I definitely don't regret time alone with you." She added with a grin.

"I agree."

They continued their walk to the restaurant in silence and watched the nighttime activity. When they got there, there was a bit of a wait, but they didn't mind too much. Eventually they got seated at a nice table outside and placed their order.

"So… we're leaving tomorrow, right?" Jane asked after she took a sip of her beer.

"Yep. Check out is 11 A.M."

A groan emerged from her mouth. "Why so early?"

She furrowed her brows. "That's not early. We've been awake several hours before that every day we've been here."

"Yeah but now I'll want to stay in bed with you as long as possible."

"We have plenty of beds available to us at home."

"Yeah, three hours away." She pointed out.

"It'll be fine." She insisted.

A few minutes later their food arrived and they ate rather quickly as thoughts of what was next in the evening's schedule pressed on their minds.

"You ready?" Maura asked as she put down her fork and saw the look of slight impatience in the other woman's eyes.

"You really need to ask me that?" She laughed.

They got up and headed for the elevator, resisting the temptation to start early and give the security people a nice surprise.

The elevator door opened and they headed out into the hallway and towards their room. Due to nerves, Jane had a little trouble with the room key, but she got it open and headed inside.

The suite door closed and they stood there, staring at one another.

Jane spoke up first. "So… what now?" Now that they were finally here, alone, she wasn't sure what to do next.

"Well… do you want a bath?" The other woman asked with a slight glint her in eye.

Jane's brows furrowed. "Why? Do I smell?" She sniffed at her arm just to check for herself.

Maura laughed. "No… I mean do you want to take a bath with me…"

The detective's eyes lit up in understanding and a grin landed on her face. "That sounds wonderful."

The M.E. started by kicking her shoes off before peeling off her socks and tossing them to join the footwear. She watched Jane's eyes follow her every move and she brought her hands up to unbutton her blouse. Shrugging it off her shoulders, she motioned for the other woman to come closer.

She did so immediately and was slightly taken aback by the boldness of Maura who had just reached forward to lift her own shirt over her head.

Slowly, the two continued to undress until they were completely devoid of all clothing.

Maura reached forward and gently took hold of the other woman's writs before she led them into the bathroom and turned on the water.

Jane moved her hand forward and traced the edge of the shorter woman's jaw line, causing her to turn towards her. From there she cupped her cheek and brought her in for a searing, yet tender, kiss.

They broke away just in time for the water to be shut off and got in. Jane slid in first before letting Maura sit down in front of her, essentially mirroring the position they were in just hours before.

It took them a few moments to get used to the rush overcoming their bodies but, eventually, Jane started gliding her fingers up and down Maura's arms while placing gentle kisses along her neck. Maura basked in the sensation and caressed Jane's legs, focusing specifically on the inner thighs.

When the heat from the tub had dissipated, they didn't notice. Their internal temperature had long ago spiked at the feel of skin on skin but, eventually, the restrictions of the bath had gotten too much.

"I uh… should we get out?" Jane asked, feeling flush.

She couldn't talk so, instead, she moved her head up and down before standing and grabbing a towel.

They dried off and made their way to the bedroom, lips attached the whole time. They collapsed on the bed together, naked, ready to go wherever the night took them.


End file.
